Harness-saddle



(No Model.)

B. P. STURGES.

HARNESS SADDLE.

No. 341,961. Patented May 18, 1886.

u WM N. PETERS, Phnmmho va har. Washington. 5.6.

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ERNEST F. STURGES, OF MEGHANIOSVILLE, IOXVA.

HARNESS-SADDLE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 341,961, dated May 18, 1886. Application filed September 8, 1885. Serial No. 176,474. (No model.)

In all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ERNnsr F. Sronens, a citizenof the United States, residing at Mechanicsville, in the county of Oedarand State of Iowa, have invented certain new and usef ul Improvements in Harness-Saddles, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates specially to harness or gig trees, and has for its object such a construction thereof as will admit of the removal of the check-rein hook Without disturbing the padding or other essentially permanent part of the saddle.

The invention consists in an improvement in the manner of constructing and connecting the separate parts of a harness-saddle, as will be hereinafter fully set forth and described.

In the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, Figure 1 represents a front elevation of the invention; Fig. 2, a plan view thcroof with the seat removed Fig. 8, a vertical section of the same, showing a modification in the manner of attaching the seat; Fig. 4, a similar View of another modif1- cation in the tree and seat, and Fig. 5 a plan view of the seat.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts.

In the construction of my improvement the upper central part of the tree is made thicker than in the ordinary tree, and in it is sunk a 1 socket adapted to receive the shank of the a tree.

check-rein hook O. The shank of the checkrein hook has an enlargement, O, at or near the end, and the socket corresponding to the shape of this shank holds the hook in position laterally and longitudinally.

Referring to the sectional drawings, it will be seen that the shank of the hook, when attached, is somewhat below the surface of the In the throat of the socket above this line is formed a dovetail groove, a, adapted to receive the corresponding'tongue, b, of the seat 13. Back of this tongue is a boss, I), which bears upon the top of the enlarged portion of the hook-shank and holds it securely in position when the seat is fastened to the tree.

The seat may be attached to the tree in various ways. One of the simplest is by means of a vertical screw extending through the seat and into the tree, as indicated in Figs. 2 and 5. In Fig. 8 it is fastened by means of alongitudinal screw, c, passing through a vertical lug, b, forming a part of the seat. In this case it is desirable to curve the crapper-loop downward somewhat, as shown, to allow room for the screw-driver. In Fig. 4 the screw 6 passes transversely through an enlarged portion of the cruppcr-loop and entirely or partially through the lug b, which has a hole or groove for that purpose. By this construction and arrangement of the parts the book may be attached or detached without the removal of any portion of the saddle,except the seat.

As ordinarily constructed, the check-rein hook is attached by means of a bolt passing through the seat and the top of the tree, and secured by a nut below. Outside of this nut is the padding... Consequently the hook must be attached before the padding is all applied to the tree, and in the removal of the hook, when broken or otherwise, the padding must first be ripped from the tree, at a considerable expenditure of time and labor. My inyention is designed to remove this common difficulty and render the attachment or detachment of the hook the work of a moment.

I am aware that it is not new to provide the upper part of the tree with a socket and at tach the hook with the shank therein; but 111 all the devices of that nature known to me either the seat is fastened from the under side or the hook is secured directly by the screw which fastens the seat, or the seat itself is secured to the tree by so many screws as to practically defeat the very end which I have in view in this invention-viz., rendering the hook removable in the shortest time and with the least trouble. This I am able to accomplish by giving the seat a dovetail connection with the tree at one end and fastening it by a single screw at the other end,passing through the seat and screwing into the tree. As the hook is that part of the saddle which is the most subject to breakage, it is desirable that it should be as cheap and simple as possible, and this construction dispenses with the ne cessity for providing the hook with a screwhole, through or into which the fasteningscrew must in such cases extend.

The invention is neat and tasteful in appearance, and, being simple in structure, is comparatively cheap in manufacture.

Having thus described my invention,what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, 1s-

1. In combination with the tree having the 5 socket, as described, and the dovetail groove in the throat thereof, the seat having a dovetail tongue at one end adapted to engage with the groove in the tree, and a screw-hole at or near the other end, whereby it may be fastxo ened to the tree by a single screw and hold the check-rein hook in position by the contact of the seat and tree alone, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

2. In a harness or gig tree, the combination I5 of the tree proper orjockey, A, having the socket, as described, and the dovetail groove in the throat thereof, the check-rein hook 0, having the shank 0, corresponding to the shape of the socket, and-the seat B, having the dovetail tongue b and boss I) on the un- 20 der side, and a screw-hole at or near the rear connection with the jockey, whereby it may be secured thereto from the back or top, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in 25 presence of two witnesses.

ERNEST F. STURGES. Witnesses:

GHAs. E. BATDORF, HENRY T. MOARTHUR. 

